Pictured from left to right bottom row: Amy Burnham, Abbie Newman (Ex. Dir.), Jane Boyle, Iliana Strauss, Kathy Hydier.  Top row: Maripeg Bruder, Risa Ferman (Pres.)

(Haverford, PA, November 7, 2008)-KIMJA Foundation has made Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County the beneficiary of its first fundraising event, held at the home of Foundation member Iliana Strauss on November 7, 2008.  The event, a ‘Rocks, Mortar, Bricks, & Roll’ party, raised over $15,000 to fund the building of the Mission Kids facility in East Norriton. The money will be used towards the capital campaign that Mission Kids is conducting.

“We are delighted that KIMJA chose Mission Kids to be their first fundraising recipient,” said Mission Kids Executive Director Abbie Newman.  “The money is needed for our capital campaign.  We need to raise $2 million dollars to complete our renovations and addition to the Center, and KIMJA is a wonderful partner.”

Montgomery County Mission Kids will provide a multidisciplinary, child-sensitive facility for the investigation of child abuse. The center will be established in accordance with standards set by the National Children’s Alliance and the federal Department of Justice. The Mission Kids setting will be designed to ease the criminal justice process for abused children and their families. All services, including medical, mental health and social work specialists, as well as prosecutors and law enforcement officials will be centrally located in a newly refurbished building in East Norriton. All services will be provided free of charge; fundraising to complete renovation of the building is still underway.


“We are so happy that we are able to help Mission Kids and all of the abused children in Montgomery County,” said founding KIMJA member Kathy Hydier.  “The Center will go a long way in serving the children of Montgomery County who have suffered from child abuse.” The other founding members of the KIMJA Foundation are Iliana Strauss, Maripeg Bruder, Jane Boyle, and Amy      . 

The Mission Kids effort includes renovating an historic farmhouse for use as a permanent Child Advocacy Center in East Norriton.  A fundraiser ‘Rock the Mission,’sponsored by the School of Rock will be held at the Sandy Run Middle School in Upper Dublin on December 12, 2008, and will feature artist Jeffery Gaines; tickets are $10/person, and all proceeds will go to Mission Kids.  For tickets, information and other donations please contact Abbie Newman at 215-869-0492.